Choose The Right Builder
This seems like an obvious thing to say, but it’s really impossible to overstate the importance of choosing the right company to build your home. Do your research and make sure that they’re the right company for you (different builders often specialise in certain kinds of houses, so find one that aligns with what you’re looking for).
Make sure they have references and ask to speak to previous clients about their experience. Investigate their relationships with their subcontractors to find out more about what their like as a company (are they honest and ethical, do they pay their bills etc). You want to be 100% sure that you’re making the right choice, so find out everything you can. If a prospective builder is unwilling or unable to supply any of this information then this is a definite red flag and chances are you should steer well clear of them.
Don’t Select On Bid Price Alone
The lowest bid doesn’t guarantee value and the highest bid won’t guarantee you a superior end product. Low bids from builders can sometimes mean that they’ll cut corners or hit you with extra costs as construction progresses, so it’s always important to remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. As we said before, do your homework and consider the other factors (quality, style, reputation etc.) that can determine if a particular builder will be good to work with and can deliver exactly what you’re looking for.
Get A Lawyer
Unless you’ve passed the bar yourself and are experienced with the ins and outs of WA property law, you’re not going to want to review the building contract yourself. Failing to get a legal expert to ensure all your bases are covered can lead to some costly, expensive issues down the line should complications arise. A comparatively small up-front fee can end up saving you thousands of dollars, not to mention untold stress and sleepless nights.
Be Clear On Your Timeline
Construction times will vary depending on the builder you choose, the home design and the materials used to build it. It’s important to discuss the details with your builder and set a clearly defined, reasonable construction timeline that both parties are happy with. This will help avoid arguments and disputes later on and will also give you something to refer to if delays do arise.
Have Fun, Enjoy The Journey & Prepare For Hiccups
A house build never goes completely smoothly. It’s a lengthy, complicated process that requires thousands of pieces to come together and work in harmony, so it’s understandable that the occasional problem will arise. One of the most important things to do to ensure a hassle free build is to understand this and have a strategy in place to deal with it.
If something goes wrong, allow your builder to fix it and move on. Getting angry and shouting at people might make you feel better in the short term, but won’t help fix anything and will only serve to alienate the people you’ve chosen to build your house. Should things go wrong we suggest an open and honest talk with your builder to find an acceptable solution to the problem followed by a good glass of wine (or beer or whiskey or cup of tea) with a partner/spouse/friend to unwind.
Looking for a builder that can help your next build go as smoothly as possible? Get in touch with us today. As a leader in Perth property development we understand the importance of keeping stress and disruption to an absolute minimum.